


The best things in life are complicated

by alessandralee



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: College, F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 07:59:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5084134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alessandralee/pseuds/alessandralee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>The words ‘I’m worried about you,’ are on the tip of Lucas’s tongue. But he knows better.</i>
</p><p><i>Instead, he says, “I know.” </i><br/>--<br/>Everyone's home for winter break. Lucas is worried about Maya, Maya is worried about Riley, and sometimes the smallest of adventures are just what you need.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The best things in life are complicated

At first Lucas thinks he’s just out of practice. Maya’s always been a handful, and after nearly four months without seeing her, he needs to get used to it again.

It’s like getting back into the swing of things after the off-season.

But when her spontaneous group trip to a rooftop garden turns out to actually be trespassing (sprinting down fifteen flights of stairs is exhausting), even Zay comments.

“Is it just me, or has she gotten wilder?”

Lucas hums noncommittally, but it’s starting to feeling like four months of college in another country has changed Maya.

She’s more subdued after that, and as far as Lucas can tell she doesn’t have anything else illegal up her sleeve.

(She apologizes profusely, insisting that, while she knew they shouldn’t have been up there, she had it on good authority that the owner was friendly. She wouldn’t have taken them up there otherwise.)

Instead, she sits restlessly on a bench at Topanga’s, constantly scratching a pencil against her sketchbook, even as she listens intently.

She doesn’t share much, which Lucas finds off. Yeah, she’s always held her feelings close to the vest, but still. Everyone knew how excited she was to study in London. Even she couldn’t hide that.

At first he assumes something must have gone wrong. Maybe she felt insecure compared to the other students; maybe she struggled to make friends without Riley’s enthusiasm to balance her out. Maybe her roommate sucked and he classes were boring. He can’t be sure, but there are a million ways for the college experience to go wrong, and he can easily imagine Maya falling prey to most of them.

So he watches her even more closely than he has been.

She’s attentive as he tells his stories about the vet he works for. He’s a weekend ranch hand, doing repair work and lugging equipment around the property. It’s not a veterinary internship, but he’s been told Dr. Ramirez doesn’t give those to freshman. At least it’s a chance to show off his work ethic, get his foot in the door.

If anything, Maya’s friendlier than usual. He gives her the perfect opening to make a joke at his expense with his story about being chased by an angry barn cat. She smirks, but doesn’t say anything.

And she’s sympathetic when Farkle tells them about how competitive and manipulative his classmates are. He’s thinking about switching out of his Political Science program. And when Zay gripes about a cute guy who won’t give him the time of day, Maya gives him advise.

Actual, realistic advice.

But when Riley speaks, Maya looks completely lost.

Riley’s having a hard time. She’s enjoying all the English classes she has to take for her Journalism major, but she’s spread too thin. Classes, honors seminar, homework, studying, pledging, doing grunt work for the school paper, and a part time job. She doesn’t just seem stressed, she seems like she’s about to break.

And if Lucas is worried about her, then Maya is desperate.

When Riley talks about school, Lucas can see Maya’s hand tighten around her pencil. Her lines are heavier, thicker, like they’re angry.

She even offers to make flashcards, so Riley can get a head start on next semester.

When the conversation turns from Riley to Maya, that’s when Maya’s the most vague.

But he’s seen her drawings, over her shoulder when she’s not paying attention to him. London cityscapes, and plenty of portraits of people he’s never met.

That’s the work of a girl who’s enjoying herself, even if all she’ll say is that classes are challenging but the students are really supportive.

Whatever’s got her holding back, it’s not her own misery.

Lucas is pretty sure it’s Riley’s.

“You doing anything tomorrow?” he asks her one night as they’re all shuffling tiredly out of the Matthews’ apartment.

 

Well in case you’ve forgotten the conversation we’ve literally just had,” Maya teases him, “we’re all going to see the Big Tree.”

Zay’s spent the last two weeks avoiding Rockefeller center just so they could all see it together, like they always did in high school. But that’s not until the evening.

“And before that?” he asks.

Maya shrugs, “Dunno. Riley says she wants to start the readings for her sociology class and Farkle’s doing something with his parents. I figured I’d hear from you or Zay eventually.”

“Zay’s got something going on with his friends from school,” Lucas tells her. “I think that guy he likes has recital or a benefit or something. Can I come over?”

“It’s not like I’ve got anywhere better to be,” Maya says, proving she really hasn’t changed all that much. She still likes making things difficult for him.

“Two o’clock?”

“You know where to find me,” she replies.

The apartment that she, her mom, and Shawn moved into junior year.

Lucas nods and they both quietly catch up with Farkle and Zay, who are in the middle of a heated debate over where to find the best hot chocolate in the city.

Maya plays referee, which Zay feels is unfair because she’s known Farkle longer.

“Yeah, but I’m the one who introduced you to the Tiny Teahouse in the first place,” she reminds him,

And that’s when Farkle decides it’s in his best interest to drag Lucas into the argument too.

\--

Lucas considers wearing a cowboy hat to Maya’s the next day. Giving her something to tease him about should be her in a good mood. He decides against it, mostly because he knows she’ll use it as an excuse to avoid talking about his real reason for stopping by. That girl knows way too many cowboy jokes; she could fill up the three hours before they have to meet up with their friends easily.

“Well golly, Lucas,” Maya greets him at the door, “you’re even five minutes early. I must be the luckiest girl on this side of the Mississippi.”

At least she hasn’t called him Huckleberry yet.

“I aim to please,” he tells her politely.

Maya’s eye narrow in annoyance, but she holds the door open wide enough for him to enter.

 

“Is your mother home?” he asks. He hasn’t seen Katy since he left for school at the end of August, and she always seems happy to see him. It would be nice to know how she’s doing with Maya so far away.

“Shawn’s shooting in Montreal this weekend, and I had to promise her five times that I was okay with her going,” Maya explains.

“And are you?” Lucas asks. Katy’s relative absence was always a sore spot for Maya.

“As long as they make it back by Christmas Eve,” she tells him. “We’re doing mother-daughter day on the 26th with Riley and Topanga.”

Whatever bitterness he’d been expecting, he doesn’t find it. Maya even seems a little relieved that her mother isn’t hanging around, just like any normal eighteen-year-old would.

He must leave the conversation hanging just a little too long, because she elaborates, “I promise I’m not angry. I actually felt bad, I’ve been so busy with you guys that I haven’t had much time for her.”

Lucas nods, “Did she sign up for those acting classes she was talking about?”

Maya shakes her head, “She’s taking night classes at the community college instead. She hasn’t declared a major yes, but she’s leaning towards something business-y.”

She sounds proud.

“So does that mean you’re still the first in your family to go to college?” Lucas asks.

Maya shoves him gently, backing towards the kitchen, “Her classes started the week after mine and she’s only going part time, so I’ll finish first. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Water’s fine,” he says.

Lucas takes a seat at the kitchen table while Maya fills two glasses with water and grabs a bag of chips from a cabinet.

“So,” she says, taking a seat across from him, “to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

The way she says it is more theatrical than sarcastic, another small change from the Maya’s he’s known.

Lucas takes a moment before speaking to figure out the most delicate way to phrase things. He probably should have considered this in advance; Maya’s never been particularly forthcoming about her emotions, at least not with him.

(Except for that one night in Texas five years ago. Even then, it had been like pulling teeth to get her to admit anything. And it’s taken almost a year for things to feel normal again.)

“You’ve been quiet,” he says. “I just wanted to make sure things were okay.”

He should throw a joke in there, some teasing comment to lighten the mood.

He can’t think of one.

As if he’s conjured up more silence just by mentioning it, Maya doesn’t say anything in return.

She chews on a handful of chips, and takes a few long sips from her glass.

But eventually she says, “I’m worried about Riley.”

The words ‘I’m worried about you,’ are on the tip of Lucas’s tongue. But he knows better.

Instead, he says, “I know.”

“She was so excited for Yale,” the pitch of Maya’s voice rises as she tells him. “Did you know she bought and returned five different comforters because she couldn’t find the right balance of fun and relaxed?”

He had not known that, but it doesn’t really surprise him either. No one was more excited for this than Riley, and her enthusiasm probably made them all less stressed about the entire ordeal.

Lucas gives a small nod to Maya, just to reassure her that he’s paying attention. If he speaks, she might stop.

“And now she’s a mess,” Maya continues. “And I feel bad because I’m having the great time that she’s supposed to be having.”

Lucas has to hold back a laugh at that comment. Of course Maya thinks that her happiness is in some way stealing from Riley’s. She doesn’t have to say it, but he knows Maya would swap places with Riley in an instant. And if the situation was reversed, Riley would feel the exact same way.

He’s been caught in the middle of the girls’ need to sacrifice their own feelings for each other’s before. In fact, in this situation he might even be getting off easy.

Today Maya might actually let him have a say in things.

“That’s not your fault,” Lucas tells her.

“I know,” Maya replies. “But I don’t want to rub it in. Like ‘Sorry your life sucks Riley, but mine is freaking fantastic.’ It just seems mean.”

There aren’t many people whose feelings Maya cares about hurting, but Riley is definitely number one on that list.

“Then tell me,” Lucas says.

Maya looks at him with suspicion, like she thinks he has some kind of ulterior motives, and is trying to figure out exactly what they are.

This is another moment when Lucas has to resist the urge to tell Maya that he’s just worried about her.

Either she determines that his intentions are purely friendly (sort of, he doesn’t dwell on those feelings anymore), or he urge to talk about her new life is just too strong.

“Well first of all,” she begins, “there are some really nice gardens that you can get into without anyone calling the cops.”

As it turns out, Lucas doesn’t know anyone who has taken to college the way Maya has. She seems a little annoyed at how rigid some of her classes are, but that’s about it. She’s made friends, she’s going out, she’s spending her weekends balancing schoolwork and fun.

She certainly has him beat. He’s up at the crack of dawn to get to work on Saturdays and Sundays.

Maya mentions the names of some artists she’s met, and while Lucas has never heard of any of them, the reverent way she speaks makes them sound impressive.

And she’s traveling. In a rare moment of openness, she drags a sketchpad out of her room and shows him her work. He’s seen some of the stuff she’s done at the bakery, but these are just something else.

London, Paris, Edinburgh and plenty of other places Lucas doesn’t recognize litter the pages. Some of them are rough sketches, like she just paused for a moment to jot down an idea. Others are so detailed he wonders if she spent all day just standing in place, watching. He feels like he’s actually there.

And the landscapes… Lucas doesn’t know a single think about Wales, except that now he wants Maya to take him there.

“And what about you?” Maya asks, once she’s run out of pages to share. “What secrets are you keeping from us?”

Lucas shrugs. He’s been pretty forthcoming; he doesn’t have much to add.

College is great. He appreciates the chance to be in an environment where no one knows the Lucas with anger issues, or the upstanding young gentleman version of himself.

He confesses that he might have over exaggerated his roommate’s pot smoking habits. After their first two weeks at school, Tommy stopped coming back reeking of the stuff.

His classes are hard, but bearable. He enjoys them. HE enjoys sleeping in until noon on Fridays because he doesn’t have class until later and his weekend job keeps him from going out any day other than Thursday.

It’s not exciting, especially compared to Maya’s adventures overseas, but for the most part he loves it.

“It would probably be better if you guys where there, though,” he admits.

And it’s true. Aside from Thursday night parties where he drinks until he just starts to feel it, he’s been playing things pretty safe.

His friends back home would never allow it.

Farkle would push him to join some kind of club. Zay would drag him to see the school plays, and Lucas would be reluctant but ultimately love it. Riley would introduce him to her sorority sisters, and her study group, and her co-workers.

And Maya? He can’t guess exactly what Maya would have in store for him, but the thought is simultaneously terrifying and enticing.

“Of course it would,” Maya says, as if that’s obvious. “Face it Huckleberry, you’re boring without me.”

Lucas smiles at her use of that old nickname. He actually missed it.

“Probably,” he admits with a smile. “I definitely haven’t been having your adventures.”

Maya smiles wickedly, “Well we’ve got a few hours until we have to be at Topanga’s. I can do a lot with that.”

College Lucas would say no. College Lucas would stay home and study or watch Netflix on his laptop.

College Lucas is taking the month off. This Lucas is game for anything.

(At least for however long it takes until rational thought kicks in.)

He follows Maya to her room, thinking that they’re exiting via the fire escape he’s seen her climb down a few times. After all, that’s the exciting thing to do, right?

Maya throws on her coat and looks at him strangely.

“Lucas, it’s three in the afternoon and we’re adults,” she tells him. “We can use the door.”

\--

This is a museum, Lucas states the obvious as he follows Maya in through the front door.

“Gallery,” Maya corrects him. “This is all for sale.”

“Somehow,” Lucas eyes up a large red painting at the other end of the room, “I don’t think any of these are going to fit in my budget.”

“No shit,” she tells him. “We’re just looking.”

The green haired gallery worker must know that too, because she ignores their presence entirely. If Lucas didn’t find her kind of scary, he might be a little offended.

“So this is an adventure?” he asks quietly as Maya stops in front of the nearest painting.

“I told you the whole trespassing thing was a fluke,” she sounds a little hurt.

“I believe you,” he assures her.

“And we’re on short notice,” she adds. “If we had more time, I could have found a concert or one of those performance art pieces where they spray chicken blood on the audience, but this seemed like a safe choice.”

Lucas cringes as the thought of chicken blood, but he asks, “Are adventures supposed to be safe?” Maybe if he keeps talking, Maya won’t remember that he doesn’t know a thing about hart.

Maya rolls her eyes, but she doesn’t seem too annoyed.

“There are no bleachers or guys selling hot dogs, so I’m sure it’s an adventure for you.”

There’s a fondness in her words that’s a big departure from her usual bite. Maybe he was wrong; maybe she hadn’t gotten wilder at all.

“Fair enough,” he agrees. “But I have been to a few of your shows, in cast you forgot.”

“And those took place in the school gymnasium and the rec center,” Maya retorts. “Now go look around, you’re making it hard for me to enjoy myself.”

Lucas feels a little overwhelmed as he takes in the paintings on the walls. He wishes Maya wouldn’t leave him so out of his depth.

But when he decides to take things one painting at a time, it’s a little more manageable.

All the canvases are landscapes, or seascapes, or paintings of tiny rural towns. That makes a lot more sense to him than some of the abstract stuff he’s seen at Maya’s high school art shows. But unlike the stuffy paintings from their school trips to The Met, these ones have a twist.

When he looks closely, every piece has some kind of fantasy element hidden away, trees with human faces, ponds that bubble like lava, giant phoenixes sleeping on branches.

It’s like the adult version of Where’s Waldo. He actually enjoys it.

Lucas thinks he spots some kind of green elf or fairy in the middle of a forest scene, when he notices the intense gaze focused on him.

He turns around to find Maya sketching him.

“You done?” he asks.

“Turn back around,” she instructs him. “Give me five minutes.”

It’s easier to just do what she says than to argue with her.

By the time Maya allows him to move again, his eyes have glazed over.

“We have time for coffee before we meet everyone for dinner,” she tells him. “I know I need it.”

He follows her down the block and into the first coffee shop they spot.

She even buys him a hot chocolate.

Maya’s done with her coffee before they even make it through the subway station turnstiles. Lucas’s drink is only just cool enough to enjoy.

They spend the first half of their ride in silence, Lucas’s mind is still spinning from all the art, and his hot chocolate is delicious. He throws out his paper cup as they switch trains.

Riding the subway with Maya is a funny thing. As the car fills up with Christmas tourists, he remembers meeting her for the first time in a virtually identical car.

Maya was the same force of nature back then, he decides. Maybe she’s changed a bit, but she’s the same at the core.

He stands up to let a woman and her young children take his seat.

Maya doesn’t remark on what a southern gentleman he is, she just follows his lead.

They press closer and closer together as the car gets more crowded. Her body fits comfortably against his.

“That wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was a nice trip,” Lucas says.

Just saying thank you seems a little awkward. Maybe he should check out the art museum on campus when he gets back there in January. That sounds like a tolerable adventure.

“Are you gonna quit school at become an artist now?” Maya jokes.

Lucas laughs, “I doubt it.”

He does have an art requirement he needs to fulfill, though.

“Shame,” she says. “You looked like you were enjoying yourself.”

Lucas is vaguely aware of the fact that they’re just talking to fill the silence at this point.

“You know what I like,” he says without thinking. It comes out more suggestive than he’d intended.

He looks down at Maya to apologize, but there’s something about the way she’s looking up at him that forces his mouth closed.

His hands slowly creep around her waist as he leans down towards her. He’s vaguely aware of her rising onto her tiptoes as he presses his lips against hers.

The kiss only lasts seconds. It’s chaste, far more innocent than some of the thoughts he’s entertained about Maya over the years.

The look she gives him after he pulls back and she opens her eyes is inscrutable. He doesn’t say anything; she doesn’t say anything.

The doors open at their stop before things can get awkward.

“That certainly complicates things,” Maya says once they’re back above ground.

The cold air breaks whatever spell they were under.

“Maybe I like complicated,” Lucas tells her.

Maya shakes her head, “Complicated has a flight back to London in three weeks.”

It’s not a no, and she’s actually talking to him about it. He thinks those are both good signs.

“We could at least try,” Lucas says.

The way she’s refused to in the past.

“It could end badly,” she replies. “Badly.” But it sounds like she’s just repeating an old argument without any of the belief to back it up.

“And if I think it’s worth the risk?” Lucas asks.

It takes Maya a moment to respond.

“Really?” she asks.

“Really,” he smiles.

He’s not sure what he’s expecting from Maya, but she grabs a fistful of his coat and pulls him down into another kiss, she’s actually laughing.

Lucas this might be the best way to kiss. And then he doesn’t think at all. He pulls her close, deepening the kiss as much as he can with so much warm winter clothing between them.

Maya drags him with her as she steps back against a building, out of the way off all the foot traffic. Lucas learned years ago that stopping in the middle of the sidewalk is annoying at best, dangerous at worst.

Right now he doesn’t care much.


End file.
